


Let Me Go on Loving You

by soaringrachel



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Post-Canon, mentions of sokka/suki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-16
Updated: 2012-10-16
Packaged: 2017-11-16 11:25:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/538923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soaringrachel/pseuds/soaringrachel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some vignettes of Zuko and Mai's early marriage.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let Me Go on Loving You

**Author's Note:**

> Continuing my 30-day challenge, in which I make art prompts into writing prompts because I do what I want! This prompt was "cuddling somewhere"; I'm not sure how strictly I followed that.

It's midnight and she's asleep, curled up in his arms, or he's curled up in hers. He's awake and counting--not to sleep, although his eyes droop and even his hair seems to slump over his forehead--but to stay awake, counting troops that require restructuring and foreign dignitaries that need formal apologizing and shipments of vegetables and grains that still aren't enough, not yet.

He strokes his hand over her hair, smooth and soft, and whispers "One, two three," kisses the top of her head and murmurs "forty-five, forty-six, forty-seven."

He could do this tomorrow. But right now, it's important to stay awake.

 

It's a cool bright morning and they're drenched from the waterfall, Zuko's royal robes dripping and heavy, Mai stretched out naked on the rocks.

"Come on," she says, "just take them off."

"Someone could see us," Zuko mutters.

Mai rolls her eyes and turns over on her stomach. "Fine," Zuko says, "you want me naked?" He strips off his outer layer, tosses it over her back. "You can _have_ it," he says, and dumps all the dark red and soaked cloth on top of her.

She doesn't shriek, which he admits he likes. Instead she snatches his ankle and pulls him right down with her, tangling him up with robes and undergarments and her.

"We still have to hike back," he reminds her, and she chuckles. "Not for another hour."

 

It's sunset and the world is snow and fire. Mai stands at the window, silk robe slipping off her shoulders, tied neatly in front. "Come to bed," Zuko calls, but she doesn't seem to hear him, staring into the red and purple sky.

"Come to bed," he says again, "it's cold," and when she doesn't he steals up behind her and puts his arms around her waist. She brushes him off, but she takes his hand.

"You're like ice," he says, and she smiles, looks out at the rare whiteness that obscures the familiar palace. "It's a good night for it," she says.

"Good night for a fire," he mutters, and she lifts an eyebrow. "You think every night's a good night for fire. Day, too."

Zuko's eyes flash, and he cups a flame in his hands, holds it close to her cheek--not enough to burn, but too much to be warm.

"You're not wrong," Mai says, and she comes to bed.

 

It's barely afternoon and the sun rolls high in the sky; Ty Lee's shadow stands out sharply against the grass as she twirls and turns. Mai's smiling, honestly smiling, and Zuko's almost jealous, but he's close to smiling too, watching her spar with Suki, Sokka gulping down a cold drink next to him.

He follows him in when he goes to find a bathroom. "How are things?" he says. "You and Suki planning on. . ."

Sokka laughs. "We don't all have to produce an heir to the Fire Nation, Zuko. I can wait a little while. And actually, Kyoshi warriors don't marry. I actually don't think she's going to come with me on this new plan of Aang's."

Zuko smirks--the Fire Nation's officially behind this republican scheme, but privately he thinks it's ridiculous.

"I don't know," Sokka says, seeing his look. "Seems, y'know, just crazy enough to work. I've got some great ideas for water systems in the city--actually, they might work out here too, I could show them to you--"

"Another time," Zuko says, "they're waiting for us."

"I will miss her, though," Sokka says as they walk back, his voice unusually sober. "I certainly will."

Zuko watches Suki, out on the lawn, and he offers Mai his arm as they go down for dinner, dances with her afterward, cheek to cheek.

 

It's twenty minutes after he was meant to be gone and Zuko's still got his hand pressed flat, thinking he can feel something even when he can't. The healer came yesterday and said they were having a girl, and suddenly Zuko never wants to leave his daughter.

"There!" he says, and Mai shakes her head. "You need to go," she says, "she'll still be here when you get back," and Zuko's eyes widen.

"She needs a name," he says, "how can we have forgotten a name!"

Mai bites her lip, and Zuko knows what she's thinking, but he shakes his head. "I can't, Mai," he says.

"Not after your mother, though," she whispers. "She hated your mother."

Zuko can feel himself starting to cry, but he pulls her close. "A new name," he says. "We won't repeat the past."

 

It's just beginning to be sunrise and Mai's face is white and sweating, but she's smiling again, and Zuko's crying, and _their daughter_ has finally stopped.

"I have to hold her again," he says, but he doesn't want to wake her, and he climbs in the bed, puts his arms around his wife and his daughter and feels their heartbeats like fire under his skin.


End file.
